CHOCOLATE FANTASY CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 9" springform pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter and dust with flour.
• In a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter and stir occasionally until smooth and creamy.
• Remove from heat.
• Separate the eggs.
• In another bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks together with the sugar and vanilla until thick, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice, for about 3 minutes.
• In a third bowl, whisk the egg whites with the salt until stiff, for about two minutes.
• Slowly and gently fold the chocolate into the yolk mixture, adding just a little chocolate at a time to keep the eggs from scrambling.
• Fold in the egg whites.
• Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake in the center of the oven until spongy; for about 40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, remove the springform ring and place the cake on a rack to cool completely.
• When the cake is cool, prepare the icing as follows.
• In a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the cream, stirring constantly until smooth.
• Don't let the mixture boil.
• Remove from the heat.
• Use immediately or store, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 24 hours.
• Reheat in the top of a double boiler.
• To serve, spread the chocolate ganache icing over the cake.
• Top with raspberries or strawberries rolled in sugar and serve a small wedge of cake with a dollop of whipped cream (and a BAM of powdered sugar looks lovely as well).
• Enjoy!